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N3

Kanji 苦: meanings, readings, and example words.

3 min read

Kanji 苦: suffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter, scowl

Key takeaways

Kanji 苦: suffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter, scowl. Readings and core meaning.

See vocabulary and examples below.

Kanji at a glance

苦
N3

Meaning

sufferingtrialworryhardshipfeel bitterscowl

On reading

ク

Kun reading

くる.しい-ぐる.しいくる.しむくる.しめるにが.いにが.る

Radical

艸

Core meaning / core image

Core meaning: 苦

suffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter, scowl

Kanji structure breakdown

苦

Structure breakdown

艹 + 古

Mnemonic story

Mnemonic story

Just as old (古) grass (艹) or herbs taste bitter and are hard to eat, this character represents the bitterness of suffering and hardship. Imagine the struggle of swallowing bitter medicine.

On'yomi and kun'yomi

On reading

ク
  • 苦しめるくるしめる

    to torment / to harass / to cause pain

  • ご苦労様ごくろうさま

    Thank you for your effort

  • 無茶苦茶むちゃくちゃ

    messy / disorderly / unreasonable

  • 滅茶苦茶めちゃくちゃ

    absurd / chaotic / excessive

  • 苦情くじょう

    complaint / objection

  • 苦心くしん

    pain / effort / trouble

  • 苦痛くつう

    pain / suffering / distress

  • 苦しいくるしい

    painful / difficult to endure

Kun reading

くる.しい
  • 苦しめるくるしめる

    to torment / to harass / to cause pain

  • 見苦しいみぐるしい

    unsightly / unpleasant to look at

  • 苦しいくるしい

    painful / difficult to endure

  • 苦しむくるしむ

    to suffer / to be in pain / to worry

  • 苦いにがい

    bitter (taste)

Commonly used words

  • 苦しめる
    くるしめる

    to torment / to harass / to cause pain

  • ご苦労様
    ごくろうさま

    Thank you for your effort

  • 無茶苦茶
    むちゃくちゃ

    messy / disorderly / unreasonable

  • 滅茶苦茶
    めちゃくちゃ

    absurd / chaotic / excessive

  • 苦情
    くじょう

    complaint / objection

  • 苦心
    くしん

    pain / effort / trouble

  • 苦しめる
    くるしめる

    to torment / to harass / to cause pain

  • 見苦しい
    みぐるしい

    unsightly / unpleasant to look at

  • 苦しい
    くるしい

    painful / difficult to endure

  • 苦しむ
    くるしむ

    to suffer / to be in pain / to worry

  • 苦い
    にがい

    bitter (taste)

Example sentences

Example 1

その病気が彼を苦しめている。

Translation

That illness is tormenting him.

Example 2

彼の言葉が心を苦しめた。

Translation

His words tormented my heart.

Example 3

今日はご苦労様でした。

Translation

Thank you for your hard work today.

Example 4

みんな、ご苦労様です。

Translation

Everyone, thank you for your efforts.

Related word posts

Kanji 苦: suffering, trial, worry, hardship, feel bitter, scowl | Daily Nihongo